JP2002031562A - Water level measuring device, and water level measuring method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water level measuring device and a water level measuring method capable of executing highly accurate water level measurement by image analysis. SOLUTION: In a measuring board 1, two regions are formed in each basic unit, and different colors are given respectively to each region, and combination of the two colors is changed in each basic unit of the water level, and the ratio of the length in the horizontal direction of the two regions is changed according to the water level position. An image of the measuring board 1 imaged by a camera 2 is taken into an image recognition part 4 to recognize the present water level position, and the rough position is determined from the combination of the two colors by a water level analysis part 5, and measurement with a finer unit is executed from the ratio of the length in the horizontal direction of the two regions at the present water level position. Hereby, highly accurate water level measurement by image analysis can be executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water level measuring apparatus and a water level measuring method for measuring a water level of a river or the like by image analysis using a water measuring plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Water level observation of rivers and the like, which was conventionally observed by a water level meter and TM (telemeter) equipment, is now performed by using camera equipment for monitoring the rivers and the like, and image recognition technology recently performed at various places. There is a growing demand for applying and measuring.

[0003] At this time, in order to recognize the water level of a river or the like with an image, the standard of the water level is not clear even if an image of the water is captured. It captures an image of the water plate attached to the water level, and attempts to measure the water level by recognizing the current position of the water surface and the numerical value and scale of the water plate at that time.

For example, when the water level is to be measured by an image recognition technique using a water plate having a numerical value and a scale as shown in FIG. 7, the numerical value and the scale of such a water plate are determined by image recognition. Reading and analyzing is not practical because there are many difficult parts with the current image recognition technology.

[0005]

As described above, it is very difficult for current image recognition technology to recognize "numbers / characters" and "scales" even if pattern recognition can be performed. There is a problem that the measurement accuracy is too poor to be measured and replaced with water level data and used for various processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a water level measuring apparatus and a water level measuring method capable of performing highly accurate water level measurement by image analysis. I do.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water level measuring device having at least two regions in which a ratio of a horizontal length changes according to a water level position; A means for obtaining an image of the measuring water plate, a means for recognizing a water level position from the image obtained by the means, and a means for obtaining a water level value from the ratio of the horizontal length of at least two regions at the water level position of the image And characterized in that:

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a water level measuring device capable of performing highly accurate water level measurement.

In the water level measuring apparatus according to the present invention, the ratio of the length in the horizontal direction changes according to the water level position, and at least a combination of different colors is arranged for each basic unit of the water level position. A measuring water plate having two regions, a means for obtaining an image of the measuring water plate, a means for recognizing a water level position from the image obtained by the means, and a color of at least two regions at the water level position of the image Means for calculating a water level value from the combination of the horizontal length and the ratio of the horizontal length.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a water level measuring device capable of performing highly accurate water level measurement.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water level measuring device according to the present invention, wherein a ratio of a horizontal length changes according to a water level position, and a pattern in which a combination different for each basic unit of the water level position is arranged. A water plate having at least two regions including: a means for obtaining an image of the water plate, a means for recognizing a water level position from an image obtained by the means, and at least two Means for calculating a water level value from a combination of the area patterns and a ratio of the horizontal length.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a water level measuring device capable of performing highly accurate water level measurement.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water level measuring method according to the present invention, wherein the ratio of the horizontal length changes according to the water level position, and at least a combination of different colors is arranged for each basic unit of the water level position. Imaging a water plate having two regions, recognizing a water level position from the captured image, and obtaining a water level value from a combination of colors of at least two regions at a water level position of the image and a ratio of a horizontal length. Features.

According to the water level measuring method of the present invention described in claim 4, highly accurate water level measurement can be performed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water level measuring method according to the present invention, wherein a ratio of a horizontal length changes according to a water level position, and a pattern in which a different combination is arranged for each basic unit of the water level position. A water level plate having at least two regions including is captured, a water level position is recognized from the captured image, and a water level value is determined from a combination of a pattern of at least two regions at a water level position of the image and a ratio of a horizontal length. It is characterized by seeking.

According to the water level measuring method according to the present invention, a highly accurate water level measurement can be performed.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a water level measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure,
Reference numeral 1 denotes a water plate dedicated to image recognition provided on, for example, a railing of a bridge, 2 denotes a camera provided at a fixed position for imaging the water plate 1, 3 denotes a processing device, and 6 denotes a secondary processing device. is there.

The processing device 3 comprises an image recognition section 4 for recognizing an image picked up by the camera 2 and a water level analysis section 5 for analyzing a water level based on the recognition result of the image recognition section 4. The secondary processing device 6 calculates the flow rate from the water level obtained by the processing device 3 using, for example, an expression for calculating the flow rate.
The secondary processing is performed using the water level data obtained in step (1).

FIG. 2 shows an example of the measuring water plate 1 dedicated to image recognition.

The specialty of image recognition technology is "pattern recognition". For this reason, when the water level measurement is performed by image analysis, if the measuring plate (object to be analyzed for the image) is easy to perform pattern recognition, the analysis accuracy of the water level data by image recognition (measurement) Accuracy) is also improved. Therefore, the measuring water plate 1 in this embodiment is not a conventional measuring water plate having a numerical display as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the water plate is suitable for image analysis.

That is, the water measuring plate 1 is provided for each basic unit (for example, 1
(m units), two regions A and B are provided, and the regions A and B are displayed in a combination pattern of two colors in which the respective colors are different from each other. By changing the combination of two colors for each basic unit of water level, it is possible to first determine roughly where the water level is currently at the time of image analysis. Then, in order to make it easier to measure a finer unit (eg, 1 cm unit), the ratio of the horizontal length of the two regions A and B is changed according to the height, that is, the water level position. The ratio between the horizontal lengths a and b of the two regions A and B in L is analyzed, and the water level value can be calculated from the ratio.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The image recognizing section 4 of the processing device 3 captures an image of the measuring plate 1 captured by the camera 2 (step S3).
1) Recognize the current water surface, that is, the water level position L (step S32).

The water level analysis unit 5 analyzes the pattern of the recognized current water level position L. In this analysis, first, from the combination of two colors, the current water level position L
, Ie, the basic unit is determined (step S33). For example, if the current water level position L is a black-and-white pattern position, a location between 0 and 1 m, and if the current water level position L is a white-red pattern position, then 1-2.
It is determined as a place between m and the like.

Next, a finer unit (for example, 1 cm unit) is measured from the ratio of the horizontal length (the ratio between a and b) of the two regions A and B at the current water level L (step 1). S34). For example, if the current water level position L is 25% of the horizontal length of the area A (white area) and 75% of the horizontal length of the area B (red area), the water level value is 1 m25
cm. The secondary processing device 6 performs various processes using the water level data thus measured (step S35).

In the above description, 1 m is used as a basic unit, and two areas A and B in
The color combination pattern was changed, but 10c
The combination pattern of two colors for the two regions A and B may be changed using m as a basic unit.

As the two colors to be combined, any color can be used as long as the color difference (or luminance) is different and can be recognized.

Further, two colors of white and black are used for the two areas A and B, and the area A (white area) is made non-pattern and the pattern of the area B (black area) is changed for each basic unit. Is also good. FIG. 4 shows an example in this case. In the figure, the pattern of the area B (black area) is a grid pattern between 0 and 1 m,
m are horizontal stripes, and 2 to 3 m are vertical stripes. As described above, if the boundary between the area A and the area B can be determined, an arbitrary pattern is arranged in each of the area A and the area B,
What is necessary is just to change the combination of patterns for every basic unit.

The configuration of the two-color pattern in each basic unit may be such that one area A is divided into two, that is, an area A1 and an area A2, as shown in FIG. In this case, a fine unit (for example, 1 cm unit) can be measured from the ratio of (a1 + a2) and b.

Further, three areas A, B, and
C may be provided, the pattern configuration may be a combination of three colors, and the pattern arrangement may be changed for each basic unit. For example, the colors of the three regions A, B, and C shown in FIG. 6 are, for example, red, black, white, and 1-2 m between 0 and 1 m, respectively.
Can be red, white and black, and between 2 and 3 m can be white, red and black.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the measuring water plate 1 which is the object to be measured (the object whose image is to be analyzed)
Is made easy to perform pattern recognition, and the water level is measured by “pattern recognition”, which is good at image recognition technology. Therefore, it is possible to improve the analysis accuracy (measurement accuracy) of the water level data by the image recognition.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Highly accurate water level measurement can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a water level measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a measuring water plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the measuring water plate according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing still another example of the water measuring plate in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing still another example of the measuring water plate according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional measuring water plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Water plate 2 ... Camera 3 ... Processing apparatus 4 ... Image recognition part 5 ... Water level analysis part 6 ... Secondary processing apparatus

Claims (5)

[Claims] An amount water plate having at least two regions in which a ratio of a horizontal length changes according to a water level position, means for obtaining an image of the amount water plate, and the means obtained by the means. A water level measuring device comprising: means for recognizing a water level position from an image; and means for obtaining a water level value from a ratio of a horizontal length of the at least two regions at the water level position of the image. 2. A quantity water plate having at least two areas in which the ratio of the horizontal length changes according to the water level position and different colors are combined for each basic unit of the water level position; Means for obtaining an image of the board, means for recognizing a water level position from the image obtained by the means, a combination of the colors of the at least two regions at the water level position of the image and a ratio of the horizontal length And a means for obtaining a water level value from the water. 3. A measuring water plate having at least two regions, wherein the ratio of the horizontal length changes in accordance with the water level position, and at least two regions including regions in which different combinations of patterns are arranged for each basic unit of the water level position; A means for obtaining an image of the water plate, a means for recognizing a water level position from the image obtained by the means, a combination of patterns of the at least two regions at the water level position of the image, and a horizontal length A means for calculating a water level value from the ratio of the water level. 4. A quantity water plate having at least two regions in which the ratio of the horizontal length changes in accordance with the water level position and different combinations of colors are arranged for each basic unit of the water level position. Recognize the water level position from the image
A water level measurement method, wherein a water level value is obtained from a combination of colors of the at least two regions at the water level position of the image and a ratio of a horizontal length. 5. An image of a quantity water plate having at least two regions including a region in which a pattern having a different combination is arranged for each basic unit of a water level position while a ratio of a horizontal length changes according to a water level position. A water level measurement method comprising: recognizing a water level position from a captured image; and calculating a water level value from a combination of patterns of the at least two regions at the water level position of the image and a ratio of a horizontal length.